The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) has justified the controversial N300,000 relocation fee required of artisans and traders at the Apo Mechanic Village as part of their move to Wasa. Felix Obuah, AMMC Coordinator, clarified during a stakeholders’ meeting that the fee is a non-refundable payment for land registration and is intended to discourage fraudulent applications by “ghost names.”

Obuah revealed that over 11,000 individuals have already paid the N300,000 fee. He highlighted the measure as necessary to streamline the relocation process and maintain fairness. However, he alleged that certain union leaders have exploited the exercise, charging unsuspecting traders amounts as high as N1 million for relocation forms. He promised to ensure such fraudulent activities are addressed, adding that security agents would arrest anyone involved in allocating land illegally.

“At this point, we’ve had over 11,000 registrations for the relocation exercise. The fee helps us ensure the system isn’t flooded with fake names. Unfortunately, some people are extorting traders by collecting as much as N650,000 or more. This is why I am carrying everyone along in the process to ensure transparency,” Obuah said.

ALSO READ: Group Urges FG, National Assembly to Intervene in FCT Land Dispute

The Coordinator also confirmed that physical enumeration was conducted due to inflated lists submitted by union leaders, some containing over 45,000 names. The Council’s investigation revealed that many traders listed were not eligible for relocation, as the exercise targets only those operating along road corridors and buffer zones.

Addressing concerns about favoritism in shop allocations, Obuah dismissed rumors that shops were being reserved for government officials or other insiders. “Not a single shop has been allocated to any government official or unauthorized individual. The Minister is not interfering with this process,” he assured stakeholders.

The long-awaited relocation project, which has faced delays spanning 25 years, is set to be completed before the end of the current administration. Obuah emphasized that transparency and fairness remain the guiding principles of the ongoing exercise.